As a very real reminder of why backup is important my student son rang this morning, he had suffered a laptop failure, fortunately we should be able to retrieve his data and stick it on an old laptop to keep him going. I am a bit of a hoarder and find it difficult to throw things away, particularly bits of electronic kit including old PCs, telephone modems and the like. (Readers of earlier posts will know that my new disk is to be used to backup my computer data - pictures, music, work, email).
As the date for my cycle trip draws closer I am still popping out around on, for me, a well worn track up towards Ely and back through a nature reserve - Wicken Fen. It is a lovely route with very few cars and great scenery and wildlife, but even with the seasons changing from Summer to Autumn (Fall) I find myself getting a little bored of the same route - I must head off in a different direction soon and I probably ought to spend a bit more time in the saddle in one day. The "training route" varies between 56Km/35miles and 80Km/50miles, during the Bangkok to Saigon run I think the longest day's cycling will be around 150Km/95miles. I have used the saddle for around 1200Km/750miles - it is starting to mold nicely.
To amuse myself today I recorded a video as I was cycling along - this piece of road is mainly used by tractors getting to fields, it consists of slabs of concrete over which tarmac has been laid. This means that it is very bumpy. I apologise for not being able to keep the camera still, so I hope you don't get seasick. I did not realise I puffed quite so much when cycling, the banging noise is caused by the uneven road surface and is quite unpleasant to cycle along.
The path heads towards a newly built track though a field to a (you've guessed it) newly built bridge over one of the Lodes (Drainage ditch) this then joins up with a similar road previously used only by tractor drivers to get to their fields. The work is part of a Sustrans (http://www.sustrans.org.uk/) initiative. This is a charity who wish to promote more sustainable transport in ways that are beneficial to health and the environment. In this case they are working with The National Trust (http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/) a UK charity that preserves historic buildings, estates and land for all. The National Trust own Wicken Fen and together with the help of a Lottery Grant are building more cycling/walking/horse paths through this area. This website www.wicken.org.uk/vision_spineroute.htm shows their goal, the Lode is the Swaffham Bulbeck Lode in the picture on the web page, but I am not that cyclist. I am the one below on this page.
Using the wonders of modern digital cameras I used the delay timer to take a picture of myself on the newly built bridge along with my Longstaff. check out the new handlebar tape and the Brooks honey-leather saddle (with titanium rails!) As you can see no Lycra in sight, I tend to use cycling shorts - they have useful pockets. In case you wondered; the training I am doing has not made me loose so much weight I am reduced to a skeleton. It is a cycling top I got for my birthday last year. As well as wearing it for cycling I also put it on for Halloween. As it is so flat around this part of the world the fact that I am heavier than what I would consider is my ideal cycling weight the penalty is not high. The sunglasses are not to look cool, there are swarms of small flies (midges) around the Lodes and they seem to be able to get both eyes simultaneously - different flies of course.
My disk drive finally arrived at around 7:00pm, I got a strange look from the delivery man - obviously he does not get many people answering the door in a skeleton top. A full system backup is running as I type.
I must also have a check of the recommended kit list for the trip to ensure that if there is anything particular I need then I have time to get it- I'll leave that for the next post - along with the nutritional suggestions from my brother who lives in Hanoi - hard-boiled eggs - humm he obviously knows something I don't.
Finally just to show that I do cycle in the mornings as well as the evenings here is an early morning misty shot across the fields as the sun came up.
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